What are you looking for?

Top road riders choose Triumph for the TT

Official backing for Hickman and Johnson

Published: 18th April 2019

Fastest man in 2018 at the Isle of Man, Peter Hickman, who put in a record-breaking 135.452mph lap around the mountain course, joins Gary Johnson in riding a Supersport Daytona 675R for the 2019 season.

Two world-class racers

In 2018, Peter and Smith’s Racing took two podium positions in the punishing TT Supersport races, and went on to win the Supersport race outright at the Ulster Grand Prix, all aboard the Triumph Daytona 675R motorcycle sponsored by Trooper premium British beer.

Gary Johnson, riding for the RAF Reserves Lee Hardy racing team, is a two time Isle of Man Supersport TT winner and seasoned road racing expert. Gary will also be campaigning in the four races within the racing schedule of the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 Supersport races on board his Triumph Daytona 675R.

Peter Hickman unveils the Supersport Daytona for the 2019 season

The TT holds such a high place in the brand’s history in the heartland of UK racing. Along with Triumph triple engines powering Moto2™ and the forthcoming off-road debut of the Scrambler 1200 XE at the Mexican 1000 race, 2019 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years for Triumph racing fans to witness and enjoy.

‘Now we’re in the best position to win’

Peter visited Triumph HQ in Hinckley for the reveal of the 2019 Smith’s Racing Triumph, and shared his thoughts on the upcoming season: “We’re really looking forward to this year. We had a really strong season last year in all the classes. At Ulster we won the Supersports category by eight seconds, which was a pretty commanding win.

“We had another two podiums at the TT in 2018, too. We’re getting ever closer to the win – I went much faster on the Triumph than I ever have before (a 128mph lap), which is actually the fastest Triumph lap in TT history. But still, we just weren’t quite close enough for the win.

“With Triumph backing us officially for 2019 I’m sure that will make the difference. We’ve got a brand new bike and a brand new engine, which should give us an edge over last year’s five-year-old machines.

“I’ve really enjoyed riding the bikes for the last two years and I like the fact it’s a British brand. It fits in well with the Trooper beer sponsorship – very patriotic.

“The aim is always to keep improving. We were strong everywhere last year – now we’re in the best position to win.”

Paul Stroud, Triumph’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “All Triumph staff and fans wish both Peter and Gary an extremely successful 2019 road racing season. We are delighted to be assisting with their Supersport racing campaigns and it’s fair to say that everyone here is looking forward to hearing the Daytona 675R triple powered machines reverberating around the 37-mile course in June and challenging for the win.”

For both riders, we wish them all the best for successful, safe and exciting 2019 road racing campaign.